Month: December 2015

Ok, so I feel as though I need to make a confession…I may have a little problem you guys! I can’t stop making marshmallows!! I want to make them in every flavor and cover the earth with them, Lol! I recently created some pumpkin pie marshmallows for fall and knew that if I tweaked the recipe a wee bit, I could easily make them into gingerbread marshmallows. I have been putting them on literally everything and I don’t know if I will be stopping any time soon. My husband and I have been having some interesting conversations over marshmallows, like “did you have 2 more than me?” and “are you SURE that you divided those up evenly??” We have serious conversations about food in this house, hahaha!

Marshmallows are really not that hard to make, I think that’s why I can’t stop making them, plus they’re fun to eat and when supplies are low, the morale in this household just isn’t quite the same, wink wink! I use a good quality pasture-raised gelatin to make them, I love this brand because I find it it dissolves easier than most. And even though this is considered a treat because of the sugar, I still have a good feeling knowing that I’m getting my gelatin in for the day!

This particular flavor is amazing for the holidays, I almost named them holiday marshmallows, because they have all those yummy warm spices that evoke memories of Christmas lights, opening presents around the tree and being with the ones you love. And if you put them in a mug filled with hot chocolate, it feels like a hug in a cup, no joke ;) You can even dip them in melted chocolate to make them even more special! But if you REALLY want to take it to the next level, you can make a batch of my Gingersnap Cookies and make some delicious holiday s’mores. I’ve been having way too much fun making these s’mores with my kitchen torch (early Christmas present from my husband) I have directions for both the chocolate dipped marshmallows and the s’mores below, I got your back! If you try either of these, get ready to have your mind blown! Consider this my Christmas present to you! Merry Christmas! ;)

Line an 8x8 pan with parchment. Grease pan and lightly dust with arrowroot powder. Set aside.

In your stand mixer, add 3/4 cup of filtered water (reserve the remaining 1/4 cup for later) and 3 Tbsp of Vital Proteins gelatin. Mix together and set aside to set up while you prepare the other ingredients on the stove top.

In a pot combine remaining 1/4 cup filtered water, maple syrup, honey, gingerbread spice, vanilla powder, lemon juice and sea salt. Bring mixture to a boil over med-high heat. Keep an eye on it as it will get foamy and can boil over easily. Boil for about 10-15 mins. You can use a candy thermometer to be more precise. Boil until it reaches 240 degrees (soft ball)

Using your stand mixer and whisk attachment (A hand mixer is fine, just takes a bit longer) turn mixer on medium-low speed. Slowly pour the boiled mixture into the gelatin mixture on the side of the bowl. When done incorporating, Turn mixer up to the highest speed and mix for approximately five minutes. After five minutes stop the mixer and check the consistency. If the mixture is cool to the touch, light and fluffy and falls off the whisk slowly, it's ready.

Quickly pour mixture into your lined pan and smooth with a spatula. Lightly dust top of marshmallow mixture with arrowroot powder.

Cover dish and let marshmallows firm up in the fridge or on your counter. Takes about 3-4 hours.

When marshmallows are firm, use a knife and slice into small squares. Take your arrowroot & Gingerbread spice mixture and lightly toss marshmallow squares in a large bowl. Make sure to coat all sides. Shake off any excess and enjoy right away, or store in an air tight container for a day or freeze for later use.

Notes

-For Chocolate Covered Marshmallows: In a shallow bowl, melt a large chocolate bar (we like Coconut Secret's Peruvian Crunch) or use my recipe for homemade chocolate Here (minus the strawberries). Dip marshmallows in melted chocolate and place in the fridge to harden up.

-For Holiday Gingerbread S'mores: Make a batch of my Iced Gingersnap cookies Melt a large chocolate bar (we like Coconut Secret's Peruvian Crunch) place in a shallow bowl, dip bottoms of cookies in melted chocolate, lay them chocolate side up on a plate or baking sheet and place in the fridge to cool. Roast marshmallows (I use a kitchen torch) and place them between 2 cookies. Enjoy!

Christmas is just around the corner, so I wanted to share some fun gifts for those foodies in your life, or maybe just for you ;) That’s OK too! If you’re like me you’re still shopping, yikes! I’m sure many of you can relate, this month has been crazy town! The days have been flying by faster than I can say Santa Clause! It’s down to the wire now though and if you’re perplexed about what to get for that special someone in your life who loves to cook, read on for some cool last minute gifts I’m sure they will fall in love with!

Instant Pot Pressure Cooker-This piece is essential in every kitchen! You can cook bone broth in 2 hours, applesauce in 2 minuets and can make even the toughest piece of meat like butter, need I say more?!

Dansk Kobenstyle Saucepan– This retro pan is so lovely, I use it as often as I can because is gorgeous and well made. It was popular in the 50’s and the lid can be used as a trivet, very cool!

Marble Serving Board- A beautiful piece to have in any kitchen, we love it for serving appetizers at parties. It would be perfect for a NYE party!

Yes & No Stackable Mugs– These porcelain mugs are just too cute to pass up. Enjoy your coffee or tea without saying a word!

Lodge Enamel Dutch Oven-This cast iron pot is a must have! Take any recipe and it can be made better in a dutch oven. It’s chip resistant and lasts forever!

Foodie Dice-Having trouble deciding what to cook for dinner? The foodie dice will rescue you every time. Just roll the dice and you’re covered!

You guys, you guyyyyssss!! This is seriously one of my favorite cookie recipes of all time. It’s so perfect for “THE most wonderful time of the year”. It has all the yummy nummy warming spices and it tastes amazing with a hot cup o’ cider or cocoa. I created this recipe last year around the same time and posted the recipe to Instagram but not to my blog. It was rather frustrating because every time i wanted to make the recipe, I had to scroll through my feed to find it. I like having it here living on my blog so that I can easily refer to it whenever I want ;)

This recipe really reminds me of my grandfather. For those of you that don’t know, my grandfather and father owned bakeries up and down the California coast. Baking runs in my blood, but even though I don’t bake exactly like I used to or eat cookies all the time (like I used to) it’s nice to know I can have an occasional treat that brings back many fond memories. Homemade cookies always bring back memories, it was one of the things he always had in surplus inside cookie jars strewn throughout the kitchen. Especially this time of year, we ALWAYS had a cookie (or 3) in our hand!

My grandfather passed away 7 years ago on the same day my husband suffered a stroke, a story I will leave for another time. But, shortly after he passed we moved into his home, and we haven’t left. I still feel him here, watching over us, it’s a comforting feeling. I feel like he’s still teaching me. Whenever I have an ah ha moment with paleo baking, I feel like he has something to do with it ;) I used to bake in the same kitchen along side my grandfather and I have many many good food memories in this kitchen. Every time I make these cookies I feel as if he is standing behind me, proud to know that in some way I am carrying on the family tradition of baking and sharing recipes. He was always sharing recipes with others.

These cookies really taste like the real deal, you almost forget that they are paleo friendly. So i’m sharing this recipe with you, in hopes that it brings back some fond memories for you too. Memories of when life was a little more carefree. When you could have a cookie and just celebrate without worrying about what’s in it. Happy holidays to you and yours!